New cases of tuberculosis up by 11 per cent in five years
The numbers of new cases of tuberculosis (TB) in England and Wales have risen by 11 per cent in five years, shows a national survey published this week in Thorax. The largest increases have occurred in urban areas. Over half of all patients were born outside the UK. The survey, a joint project between the Public Health Laboratory Service, the British Thoracic Society, and the Department of Health, collected data on all people diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1998 in England and Wales. It is the last of a series of surveys that have been conducted every five years since 1978. The results show that almost 11 in every 100 000 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1998. This represents a rise